Our Story
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Our mission is to be the trusted choice for tailored communications solutions, delivering results that drive success and recognition for clients across the communities they know and love.
Meet the team that treats your reputation like it is their own.
State & Tell is a women-owned PR and integrated communications agency based in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Founded by Nora Bryant and Lauren Guess, the agency was built on the belief that the way a brand shows up matters as much as what it has to say. We work with established and emerging brands across Kentucky to build intentional visibility through public relations, content strategy, reputation management, social media, and earned media. Rooted in the communities we know and love, and trusted by the brands investing in real growth, we bring the expertise, the relationships, and the follow-through to make communications work the way it should.
Nora Bryant
PARTNER, DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR
Nora Bryant built her career in destination marketing and tourism before bringing that experience to State & Tell. She got her start in account management and brand strategy for VisitLex, the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Kentucky Department of Tourism, work that sharpened her instincts for media relations, brand presence, and getting a place, product, or person in front of the right audience. Earlier stops at Enterprise Holdings and State Farm taught her the fundamentals: client management, relationship building, and showing up consistently for the people you serve.
As State & Tell's digital communications lead, Nora treats a brand's presence as one connected system rather than a set of separate channels. The press hit, the newsletter, the website, the social post; it's all reputation, and she builds the digital layer that makes the rest of it work harder.
Nora holds a degree in Public Relations from Western Kentucky University and lives in Bowling Green with her husband and two daughters.
Nora Bryant built her career in destination marketing and tourism before bringing that experience to State & Tell. She got her start in account management and brand strategy for VisitLex, the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Kentucky Department of Tourism, work that sharpened her instincts for media relations, brand presence, and getting a place, product, or person in front of the right audience. Earlier stops at Enterprise Holdings and State Farm taught her the fundamentals: client management, relationship building, and showing up consistently for the people you serve.
As State & Tell's digital communications lead, Nora treats a brand's presence as one connected system rather than a set of separate channels. The press hit, the newsletter, the website, the social post; it's all reputation, and she builds the digital layer that makes the rest of it work harder.
Nora holds a degree in Public Relations from Western Kentucky University and lives in Bowling Green with her husband and two daughters.
Lauren Guess
PARTNER, PUBLIC RELATIONS DIRECTOR
Lauren brings a career that spans the full PR landscape: agency work at PriceWeber and The BCH Agency, where she managed media relations for clients ranging from Cirque du Soleil to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival; in-house communications leadership at Western Kentucky University and the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau; and purpose-driven campaigns for organizations like Donate Life KY, where her efforts contributed to a 165% increase in audience exposure and helped secure the most lives ever saved through organ donation in a single year.
That range, agency rigor, in-house perspective, and a deep understanding of what makes communities tick is what she brings to every State & Tell client. Whether it's earned media strategy, media training, social media and digital presence, or helping a founder find their voice before a big interview, Lauren's approach is grounded, strategic, and built around outcomes that actually matter.
Lauren holds degrees in Communication and Psychology from the University of Louisville. She's a PRSA Rising Star, AAF Louisville Hot 10 honoree, and is based in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Lauren brings a career that spans the full PR landscape: agency work at PriceWeber and The BCH Agency, where she managed media relations for clients ranging from Cirque du Soleil to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival; in-house communications leadership at Western Kentucky University and the Bowling Green Area Convention & Visitors Bureau; and purpose-driven campaigns for organizations like Donate Life KY, where her efforts contributed to a 165% increase in audience exposure and helped secure the most lives ever saved through organ donation in a single year.
That range, agency rigor, in-house perspective, and a deep understanding of what makes communities tick is what she brings to every State & Tell client. Whether it's earned media strategy, media training, social media and digital presence, or helping a founder find their voice before a big interview, Lauren's approach is grounded, strategic, and built around outcomes that actually matter.
Lauren holds degrees in Communication and Psychology from the University of Louisville. She's a PRSA Rising Star, AAF Louisville Hot 10 honoree, and is based in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Kelly Birge
CONTENT STRATEGIST
Kelly has built her career around helping people and organizations tell stories through a unique lens. She began in Nashville's public relations and marketing industry, where she worked with agencies supporting some of country music's biggest names, including Miranda Lambert, Alan Jackson and Kelsea Ballerini. Those early years gave her a strong foundation in strategic communication and media relations.
She later transitioned into broadcast journalism, bringing her communications expertise into the newsroom. Kelly worked as a reporter and anchor at WBKO before joining WKRN in Nashville as a breaking news reporter, covering fast-moving stories with accuracy and urgency. She eventually returned home to WBKO, where she served as a senior reporter and assignment manager. While there, she helped lead daily newsroom operations while mentoring reporters and shaping editorial coverage.
Throughout her career, Kelly has developed a deep understanding of how compelling storytelling drives connection. Her experience on both sides of the communications industry gives her a unique perspective on building trust, managing reputation and crafting stories that resonate with audiences.
Kelly earned her degree in Journalism from Lipscomb University. She lives on a farm in Lamb, Ky where she runs the farm’s social media and shares their adventures.
Kelly has built her career around helping people and organizations tell stories through a unique lens. She began in Nashville's public relations and marketing industry, where she worked with agencies supporting some of country music's biggest names, including Miranda Lambert, Alan Jackson and Kelsea Ballerini. Those early years gave her a strong foundation in strategic communication and media relations.
She later transitioned into broadcast journalism, bringing her communications expertise into the newsroom. Kelly worked as a reporter and anchor at WBKO before joining WKRN in Nashville as a breaking news reporter, covering fast-moving stories with accuracy and urgency. She eventually returned home to WBKO, where she served as a senior reporter and assignment manager. While there, she helped lead daily newsroom operations while mentoring reporters and shaping editorial coverage.
Throughout her career, Kelly has developed a deep understanding of how compelling storytelling drives connection. Her experience on both sides of the communications industry gives her a unique perspective on building trust, managing reputation and crafting stories that resonate with audiences.
Kelly earned her degree in Journalism from Lipscomb University. She lives on a farm in Lamb, Ky where she runs the farm’s social media and shares their adventures.
